The present invention is directed to user interfaces (UI""s), and more specifically, to a plural-mode, multi-market optimized UI assembly and a reprographic machine having same, for increasing user satisfaction and productivity on the same reprographic machine in a plurality of different user markets.
A conventional reprographic machine is the office copier. Traditionally, the copier, in the office equipment context, refers to a light lens xerographic copier in which paper originals are in fact photographed. The images are focused on an area of a photoreceptor, which is subsequently developed with toner. The developed image on the photoreceptor is then transferred to a copy sheet which in turn is used to create a permanent copy of the original.
In recent years, however, there has been made available what is known as digital copiers or printing machines. In the most basic functions, a digital copier or printing machine performs the same functions as a light lens copier, except that includes a programmable controller for controlling its functions, and the original image to be copied is not directly focused on a photoreceptor. Instead, with a digital copier or printer, the original image is received, for example, from a personal computer (PC) work station, or storage media, or is scanned by a device generally known as a raster input scanner (RIS) which is typically in the form of a linear array of small photosensors. The controller further enables a wide range of image manipulation and processing capabilities.
The original image received as such is focused on the photosensors in the RIS. The photosensors convert the various light and dark areas of the original image to a set of digital signals. These digital signals are temporarily retained in a memory and then eventually are further processed, and manipulated/and or used as is with the aid of a user interface (UI) assembly, to operate the digital printing machine or copier when it is desired to print copies of the original. The digital signals may also be sent directly to the digital printing machine or copier without being stored in a memory. Typically, each such digital printing machine or copier.
Digital printing machines or copiers as such are currently being used in the market place of the general office environment. Usually such machines are used in this environment on a non-dedicated and casual basis, as well as by users of varying skill levels, including the most basic level. At the same time, such digital printing machines or copiers are also being used by highly skilled and experienced operators, in a dedicated manner, within the centralized reprographic departments (CRD""s) of large corporations or in key operator Quick Printing Shops.
As such, one model of such a digital printing machine can be made by a single manufacturer and intended for use in several different market environments, such as the general office environment and the CRD environment. As pointed out above, the skill levels and work practices of the actual machine users or operators differ greatly between such market environments. Ordinarily, the trend has been for the manufacturer to optimize the UI on each such model for a particular market environment, and thus to the user satisfaction and productivity detriment of any other market environment in which that same model is used.
There is therefore a need for a plural-mode, multi-market optimized UI and a reprographic machine having same, for increasing user satisfaction and productivity on the same reprographic machine in a plurality of different user markets.
In accordance with the present invention, there is provided a plural-mode, multi-market user interface (UI) assembly for increasing user satisfaction and productivity on units of the same model of a machine in a plurality of different user markets. The UI assembly includes a display screen for displaying user dialog information, a series of machine process control and user interactive functional features for operator access to control operation of the machine, a plurality of different market optimized user dialog information display modes that are connected to the series of machine process control and user interactive functional features, for displaying on the display screen, an associated controller, and a means or device for selectively switching from one to another of the plurality of different market optimized user dialog information display modes, thereby enabling increased user satisfaction and user productivity on the same model of a machine in a plurality of different user markets.